MUCKROSS HOUSE
Tel: 064 6630804 Web: muckross-house.ie
Approximately 6km from Killarney town centre, Muckross House and Gardens is at the heart of Killarney National Park with stunning gardens, a wide range of heritage attractions and walks.
CARAUNTOOHIL
Killarney National Park
Ireland's tallest peak, Carauntoohil is not for the faint hearted. The traditional tourist route up the mountain, the Devil's Ladder route, has now become badly eroded in places and the Devil's Ladder gully itself demands care due to its loose condition. River crossings can be problematic in very wet weather. Allow six hours for the round trip.
TORC WATERFALL
Killarney National Park
Torc Waterfall is approximately 7km from Killarney Town and approx 2.5 km from the motor entrance to Muckross House and can be accessed from a car park on the N71. A short walk of approx 300 metres brings you to the waterfall. From that point steps lead to another viewing point at a higher altitude that provides a view over the Middle Lake. The path is also part of the Kerry Way long distance walking route and a starting point for circular walking routes which are indicated by a map down at the start of the trail beside the car park.
KILLARNEY NATIONAL PARK
Web: killarneynationalpark.ie
South and west of Killarney is an expanse of rugged mountainous country. This includes the McGillycuddy's Reeks, the highest mountain range in Ireland which rise to a height of over 1,000 metres. At the foot of these mountains are the lakes of Killarney and the 10,236 hectare (26,000 acres) Killarney National Park. The distinctive combination of mountains, lakes, woods and waterfalls under ever changing skies gives the area a special scenic beauty.
ROSS CASTLE
Killarney National Park
Built in the late 15th century by one of the O'Donoghue Ross Gaelic chieftains, Ross Castle has had a long and distinguished history. This typical Irish keep is built on a rocky outcrop on Ross Island by the shore of Lough Leane. Although not a large fortress, its profile and location make for an imposing structure and it has proved to be a very effective defensive stronghold throughout the centuries.